MY EXPERIENCE AT SHIRDI (November 1974)

[Guest guest]

MY EXPERIENCE AT SHIRDI (November 1974)

 

During my very first visit to Shirdi (in 1964) how I had the good fortune

of having Baba's darshan in live form has been described in my article in

Sai Leela (Special 'Experiences' issue-October 72). In this article it is my

pleasure to share with co-devotees, how Sai showered His affection on me

when I visited Shirdi for the second time.

 

Round about Diwali 1972 our son became ill and his temperature rose to more

than 104° F. It was then that we prayed to Baba to come to our rescue and we

also took a vow that we will make a pilgrimage to Shirdi within a year. By

Baba's grace our son was soon restored to good health. Due to some reason or

the other we could not make a trip to Shirdi. As Diwali ‘73 was approaching

we decided to go there as otherwise the stipulated period of one year would

be over. Though we were somewhat afraid of undertaking the long journey with

our new born 3 month old baby, we put faith in Baba and reserved the tickets

ten days in advance. But the baby started suffering from diarrohea and to

our great concern she would not respond to the best medication. After

waiting for 5 days, as there was no improvement in her condition, I had to

cancel the reservations reluctantly and with a heavy heart. Miraculously

however, purgings stopped within a couple of days. I once again booked the

tickets for the same date and due to Sai's grace we not only had a very

comfortable journey to and from Shirdi but also spent the happiest three

nights at Shirdi. How much peace of mind we gained there, is not easy to

describe

 

We reached Shirdi on Tuesday. On Wednesday night before retired, I

prayed to Baba that He should enable me to wake up at 4 a. m. (Thursday)

so that I may finish bath etc , and get ready to go to Samadhi Mandir before

5 a. m. in order to participate in Kakad Arati and Abhishek to Baba's

Samadhi. I had most peaceful sleep and I was in deep slumber when all of a

sudden I felt somebody's hand pushing my back and made me sit up on the bed.

I was amazed and got up from the bed and put on the light. My wife and

children were in deep sleep. Then lo! The temple bell struck four!! I

checked up my watch and it was exactly 4 a. m. to the minute!!! Who else

other than Baba could have waked me up? This experience of mine proved

conclusively that, if we sincerely pray and surrender to Him, Baba will

personally come down to render any kind of help to devotees. If the readers

recall my earlier article, this is the author's second experience to the

effect that Baba gives His Darshan in physical form to His devotees even

now, 55 years after Maha-Samadhi.

 

As a further shower of His affection on us, Baba enabled us to secure the

very first ticket for Abhishek, that is, we were the first to perform

Abhishek and Archanana to Baba's Samadhi on Diwali day. On that night we had

the good fortune to participate in Palki Seva (i. e., carrying Baba's

Padukas and Satka in a palanquin from Samadhi Mandir to Chavdi and back). It

was a wonderful sight to see some young men dancing with ecstacy in

Dwarakaayi.

 

I consider myself to be very fortunate that Baba has been showering His

most loving grace on me continually.

 

C. K. Ramanatha Chetty

Hyderabad 500027.

 

 

(The experiences of Devotees as published in Shri Sai Leela Magazine, can be

read at www.saileelas.org/magazines/SAILEELA/exp.htm)